Vijayaratnam Tharumartnam joins QSR Brands as group comms head

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Vijayaratnam Tharumartnam has joined QSR Brands Holdings as head, group communications. Tharumartnam (pictured) heads up upstream, midstream and downstream communications across the group, focusing on strategy, policy, execution, internal communications, CSR, media and crisis. He reports to CEO Nehchal Khanna.

When asked why he chose to join QSR, he explained to A+M that the company has a strong regional footprint; a farm-to-fork business; extremely emotional brands; and is a business that is "in the trenches" every day. "The company also has big plans forward, a dynamic leadership team, and I'm also impressed with how it weathered COVID-19," he said.

His overall vision is to change the way consumers see the QSR business while continuing to build and foster the strong bonds it has with customers across the region. His first order of business is to understand all aspects of the business as well as its customers and ensure that QSR is well resourced for the challenges ahead.

Tharumartnam was previously with Berjaya Corporation as chief communications officer, a newly created role, and reported to then CEO Jalil Rasheed. Tharumartnam told A+M previously that he intended to focus on mapping and aligning the longer-term vision, creating a transparent communications culture that sits on the trifecta of clarity, honesty and fun.

He also said on LinkedIn recently that the last year has been "professionally interesting". "I had ringside seats to some of the fundamentals of organisational intrigue with its coterie of salaciousness and chaos. It was actually a learning experience which I will treasure," he said.

Although he has only helmed the role at QSR for over a month, Tharumartnam said it has been every bit as exciting as he thought it would be and more. "Beyond KFC and Pizza Hut, the group is so diverse and we are at a point in our history that is so pivotal, I couldn't have scripted it better myself," he said.

Before Berjaya, Tharumartnam was with PROTON as director of communications for slightly over two years. He also worked at the Multimedia Development Corporation as VP, marketing and communications, and at HSBC Global Resourcing (UK) has VP of communications.

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